UFC vet Stephan Bonnar officially retires from MMA

Stephan Bonnar, a fan favorite since his runner-up finish on the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” has called it quits at 35 years old.

Bonnar confirmed his retirement via Facebook following UFC President Dana White’s announcement during a MetroPCS chat on Tuesday night.

Bonnar (15-8 MMA, 8-7 UFC) recently was on a three-fight win streak and admittedly was already close to retirement. However, after an 11-month layoff, the light heavyweight returned to the cage this past month at UFC 153. There, in a late-notice opportunity in Brazil, he faced dominant UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in a 205-pound non-title fight. He lost via first-round TKO, and it marked his first time being stopped in 23 pro fights (aside from cuts).

Bonnar hinted at a possible retirement following the event.

“Huge thanks to every UFC fan out there!” Bonnar stated on Facebook. “All I ever wanted was to bring ya’ll some fun…hope u were entertained. Peace, love, & violence!”

Bonnar always had a special place in White’s heart. At the TUF 1 Finale in 2005, Bonnar and Forrest Griffin engaged in an action-packed three-round fight. The bout came at a crucial time during the UFC’s move into the mainstream, and White long has credited it for the sport’s popularity surge.

Although Bonnar lost the fight via decision, it assured the Carlson Gracie-trained fighter and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt a permanent home in the UFC, according to White. It resulted in a nearly eight-year career that included fights against a host of notables, including Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Keith Jardine, Mark Coleman and Krzysztof Soszynski.

He’s also hosted many televised UFC programs and served as a WEC commentator for a slate of events in 2010, including WEC 53, where his call of Anthony Pettis’ “Showtime kick” in a bout with Benson Henderson quickly became a highlight-reel staple.

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